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Perceptions of civil justice: The litigation crisis attitudes of civil jurors
Author(s) -
Hans Valerie P.,
Lofquist William S.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2370120207
Subject(s) - respondent , economic justice , perception , jury , politics , criticism , political science , law , civil litigation , misconduct , social psychology , criminology , psychology , neuroscience
Abstract Public perceptions that the civil justice system is in crisis are apparently widespread, but little is known about the causes or correlates of such views. This article analyzes the litigation crisis attitudes of a sample of civil jurors. Like the public, jurors endorsed a number of statements suggesting that there is a litigation crisis. Factor analysis identified two independent components: general concern over excessive litigation, and criticism of the civil jury. Litigation crisis views were found in all demographic and attitudinal subgroups. However, attitudes about the civil justice system were related to the respondent's political efficacy, claims consciousness, belief in a just world, age, religion, and race.